Author: France 24

US President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminium came into effect on Wednesday, without any exemptions for the country’s traditional allies. The import duties were welcomed by some American metal producers who want protection against what they believe is unfair competition. The European Union has vowed to retaliate with its own measures targeting 26-bn euros worth of US goods entering the common market. Also, fears of a recession rattle global stock markets.

US President Donald Trump launched military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saturday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels, killing at least 31 people, according to the Iran-aligned group. Washington also warned Tehran to stop backing the Houthis.

What happens when you gender-flip the tale of “Moby Dick”? Annette Young talks to British-Chinese author, Xiaolu Guo, who has done just that with her latest book, “Call Me Ishmaelle”.  Also, confronting sexual harassment on Japan’s public transport where one in 10 young women say they have been groped on trains, highlighting an often-unreported crime. Plus, a new wave of Kenyan authors, illustrators, and media creators are challenging the way young girls see themselves and their futures. 

France swept to the Six Nations title with a record-strewn 35-16 victory over Scotland on Saturday. The win put Les Bleus one point above England, whose 68-14 rout of Wales had sent the championship battle down to the wire.

The 48th International Tourism Salon gets underway in Paris, with the world’s #3 destination the United States seeing a big drop in Canadian visitors. The United Nations prepares for budget cuts amid an efficiency drive after 7 years of liquidity crisis. 

Nearly 42,000 Kuwaitis have been stripped of their nationality in just six months and in defiance of international law. Launched under the increasingly authoritarian rule of Kuwait’s new monarch, Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the policy claims to target foreigners who illegally obtained Kuwaiti citizenship – but naturalised citizens and political opponents are getting caught up in the campaign. 

Journalist and filmmaker Shiori Ito has laid her life bare in “Black Box Diaries”, as the film documents her battle for justice after she accused a prominent TV executive of raping her in 2015. Following its nomination for an Academy Award, the film has come to worldwide attention; the culture of silence in Japan surrounding sexual assault has been under scrutiny. Shiori joins us to talk about being the first Japanese director to be nominated for best documentary at the Oscars and about how her persistent campaigning has resulted in the legal definition of rape being revised in her home…

In a quiet residential area of Brussels, tucked away among the modern and uniform facades of the Forest neighbourhood, sits a house that is giving birth to a unique project which could revolutionise our approach to the start and end of life. Here, expecting mothers and end-of-life patients live side by side, cared for respectively by midwives and volunteers. FRANCE 24’s Alix Le Bourdon reports. 

The French women’s cricket team came last at a tournament in the overseas territory of New Caledonia on Friday, but officials are optimistic for the future. The brand-new squad completely replaced the women’s team whose members called for a probe last year into allegations that France Cricket was faking “ghost” matches to receive funding slated for women’s cricket.

Since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Russia’s economy has proved to be robust despite sanctions, inflation and labour shortages. But how long can it last? Charles Pellegrin takes a deep dive with his guest Richard Connolly, associate fellow and specialist on the Russian economy at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in the UK. He is also the author of a commentary titled “Russia’s Wartime Economy isn’t as Weak as it Looks”.